Alternative to Silicone caulk for sealing joints

ani_101

Is there any good alternative for Silicone Caulk? I need to seal joints and small gaps. Preferably a non smelly one which can be used indoors and is easy to apply.

jr@mac

Liquid nails works for me.

rjj45

You can get painters caulk -- very, very mild smell. Probably won't last as long as silicone, but good enough for sealing box inside seams. Very inexpensive also!

PWRRYD

DAP latex bathtub/sink caulk has zero smell and cleans up with warm water and soap.  Could fill a 1/2 inch boo boo if you use enough of it.  Cheap too.

ani_101

Thanks, I'll try later, painters caulk. The box is already glued. Usually I would put a bead of silicone on the inside seams to seal up the joints.

Does liquid nails expand and form a seal?

MartyH

I've always wanted to build a monkey coffin, spray it with Flex-Seal, then take it out on Lake Superior!

D1PP1N

I used some construction adhesive type stuff. Dried super hard. Didnt do the cleanest job on the application lol! The b9xed were assembled and gettijg the caulk gun in there was difficult. Everything was dadoed so i didnt need it for leaks or anything i just wanted to use it on the braces and  all the 90 deg corners hoping it will help with cabinet resonances. I think it maybe have helped using the knuckle test lol.

Wolf

Ed Froste swore by RedGard, which is meant for bathroom installations. Pour in the cabinet, work around the surfaces. I usually let the Gorilla Glue do most of it, and then use Dap Latex bathroom caulk if I have to go further.

ani_101

worst part, the silicone eats through surgical gloves.... and my fingers are a sticky mess, that takes a long time to clean up!

ani_101

Anybody used Flex-Seal? Can it be brushed on and would it stay put in a vertical position or roll down? Looks like a nice heavy product, liberal use might also also provide damping?

Wolf

I've not tried Flex-Seal, but I have seen it advertised. It looked to me that it might work for this application.

jr@mac

We joke about flex seal at work quite often - something will break and we will just tell someone to "flex seal it!".

PWRRYD

It might not be a bad product at all and useful to us DIY speaker builders, but those totally cheesy infomercials and the TV price are terrible...

We actually use Rinoliner for a couple of applications at work and it is a very good product despite the old infomercials.  Same with GorillaTape.

ani_101

I was asking about the flex seal roll on rubber thingie that hardens to form a rubber coating.

though flex seal also has tape, which the infomercial guy uses to join a half sawn boat!!! hey, now I need not use glue, just line up the sides and flex seal tape it - it will hold, provide an airtight seal and semi-gloss finish all at once... WOW!!!

PWRRYD

Huh?

ani_101

you need to watch it to get it.... 

Kornbread

Rubberized Undercoating for automotive applications; would it be thicker than FlexSeal?  Can be found at just about any store.    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Automotive-15-oz-Rubberized-Undercoating-Black-Spray-Paint-6-Pack-248657/202913971

jr@mac

Avoid most of these spray on rubberized products - they outgas for a very long time and the gas they release can dissolve the glues that are used to keep drivers together. 

PWRRYD

I once used rubberized roofing cement (tar) inside a pair of enclosures.  Had to set them out in the sun every day for two full weeks before I could even bring them in the house.  It definitely did help damp the panels though.

ThumperTom

That was the joy of working at Lowe's, you would see so many different products that would work for this application.  I to have used rubberized roofing cement but the stuff I used had a very low VOC.  I also like to use the Acoust-X sound dampener but I am not sure how well it works as a sealer.

ani_101

Ok, different purpose, but is there anything like paintable or rollon bitumen for damping? Or what other good material for adding mass / damping?

I have used the acoutaX product. It is good, easy to apply, takes a bit longer to dry and is a bit rubbery, but not a great sealer. Difficult to get a thick coat though.

stephenk9

I often use hot melt glue from a gun into the seams. Dries in moments, no outgassing, no smell. Worst problem has been that you get fine spider webs of glue, but its easily removed. Reach can be a problem, but there are some very small glue guns available that should be able to reach most places. 

D1PP1N

ThumperTom said:

That was the joy of working at Lowe's, you would see so many different products that would work for this application.  I to have used rubberized roofing cement but the stuff I used had a very low VOC.  I also like to use the Acoust-X sound dampener but I am not sure how well it works as a sealer.

Acoustx was nice and worked well but applying it sucks and man if you get it on your hand it dries fast. I lost lots of wrist and finger hair removing acoustx afterwards!

PWRRYD

D1PP1N said:

ThumperTom said:

That was the joy of working at Lowe's, you would see so many different products that would work for this application.  I to have used rubberized roofing cement but the stuff I used had a very low VOC.  I also like to use the Acoust-X sound dampener but I am not sure how well it works as a sealer.

Acoustx was nice and worked well but applying it sucks and man if you get it on your hand it dries fast. I lost lots of wrist and finger hair removing acoustx afterwards!

Some guys pay for that kinda manscaping. LOL

Wolf

The old Northcreek Glop is always a damping option too. According to the directions:

1/3 drywall compound and 2/3 Aileen's Tacky Glue. Trough mix it and layer it into the cabinet with the side in question flat and horizontal. Let dry, rotate, and repeat. It's not supposed to be as effective at cabinet corners, but mainly for in the middle of your unbraced panels.

MartyH

jr@mac said:

Avoid most of these spray on rubberized products - they outgas for a very long time and the gas they release can dissolve the glues that are used to keep drivers together. 

He's right.  Dammit I hate when he's right.

D1PP1N

Lol well $15 later lets see how flex seal works! 


It smells like spray paint i assume that it will dry in a few days. Hopefully that is enough to not damage the drivers. If need be i can try to heat it or clear coat it!

PWRRYD

I know this thread has taken a right hand turn from sealing seams to damping panels (OP Ani driving this bus), but I think it's a good discussion.  I added play sand to damp the Trials MTM top box.  Wolf has used kitty litter to do the same.  On two different projects I have glued pieces of ceramic floor tile to the inside of the enclosure panels.  I have no "with and without" mic measurements but I will say I definitely feel the method added sonic value.

D1PP1N

I was looking for a 2 fold solution craig. I havent been using brads or screws in the last few builds so im just concerned about a box coming apart. I dropped one of my test cabs and that wasnt full assembled but it cracked the glue joint was intact but the mdf just separated and came loose. 

ani_101

Calling @JasonP - Does the Water Putty help with either - sealing or damping? 

that is one more thing I want to try.

JasonP

I can't say I feel the putty itself is very good for damping. Sealing sure, but damping no. Of course, if you fill the putty with stones (small washed garden stones) you get a heavy rock-like material that is quite acoustically dead. There is a layer of that inside the Polaris cabinets I brought around in '17.